


Weaknesses

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: The West Wing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-25
Updated: 2005-08-25
Packaged: 2019-05-30 20:43:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15104525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: "You're the strongest man I know."





	Weaknesses

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: Weaknesses   
Author: Perpetual Motion   
Webpage: www.geocities.com/iwannabedonna   
Category: Slash, Drama, Episode Related   
Fandom: West Wing   
Rating: PG   
Pairing: Leo/Hoynes   
Spoilers: “War Crimes”   
Series: None   
Summary: “You’re the strongest man I know.”   
Archive Instructions: Go for it.  
Disclaimer: They’re not mine. They belong to Aaron, and he is wonderful with them, but I like to fill in the blanks to amuse myself.  
Author’s Notes: Someone (and it’ll be amazing if I actually remember who) sent a challenge for Leo to deal with his demons while seeking comfort from either Hoynes or Jed. Somehow I wrote a Hoynes/Leo piece. I think, deep down, I am disturbed. 

**Weaknesses By Perpetual Motion**

Leo walked into his apartment trying to decide if pills or alcohol would be most useful to slip into oblivion and wondering if he cared enough to worry about his sobriety. He tossed his jacket, tie, and briefcase onto his bed and turned around to find John in the bedroom doorway. “Hey.”

“You walked right past me.”

“Did I?”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry.”

John kept Leo in the doorway by blocking it with his body. “Talk to me, Leo.”

“Let me out, John.”

“Talk to me.”

Leo rubbed a hand across his eyes. “John, please.”

“Where’s it hiding, Leo?”

“John-“

“Leo, where is it?”

“Bathroom, back of the closet there’s an open space behind the second shelf.”

John breathed out hard. “Okay. Stay here.”

Leo did, sagging against the doorway and trying to ignore the mocking voice in his head. ~What kind of man crawls into a bottle?~

~An alcoholic. Shut the fuck up.~

~Oh, bad words from the drunk. I’m petrified.~

~Shut the fuck up.~

“Leo.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s gone.” John watched Leo open his eyes. “I poured it down the drain and tossed the bottle.”

“I never took a drink of it.”

“I know. The seal wasn’t broken. You’re a strong man.” John reached out and cupped Leo’s face. “I don’t think I tell you that, enough. You’re the strongest man I know. How many years sober do you have?”

“Seven.”

“How many times have you slipped?”

“None.”

“And you’re Chief of Staff at the White House. You’re strong.”

“How many years do you have?”

“Eight.”

“How many times have you slipped?”

“I almost did today.”

“What happened?”

“President offered me a beer.”

Leo smiled faintly. “He and his brothers always split a beer after church.”

“Yeah. It was tempting.”

“But you’re strong, too.”

John smiled. “I try to be.” He leaned down and kissed Leo’s forehead. “What happened today?”

“I killed eleven people.”

“What?”

Leo sighed and reached a hand to slide along John’s side. He needed the contact badly. “I killed eleven people in Vietnam. When I was flying they sent me to hit a damn. I killed eleven civilians.”

“You didn’t know they were civilians. It wasn’t your fault.”

“It was my target.”

“It was the military’s target. You were following orders.”

“I started drinking in ‘Nam.”

John pulled Leo to him. “Can’t say I’m surprised. It was a hellacious war.”

“You weren’t in it.”

“No, I wasn’t, but I’ve heard enough survivor stories to make me want to crawl back into the bottle.”

Leo sighed and wrapped his arms around John. “You’re a strong man, too.”

“I’ve got a few weaknesses.” John looked into Leo’s eyes when he said it.

Leo looked right back. “We’ve all got weaknesses.”


End file.
